carley as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of carley

What is the meaning of the name carley ?

The baby name carley is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced US: /ˈkɑrli/ (CAR-lee); UK: /ˈkɑːli/.

carley is English in Origin.

Carley is a modern respelling of Carly, a feminine form and nickname from Carl/Charles and their feminine counterparts Carla and Caroline. The root is the Germanic Karl, meaning “free man,” so Carley often carries the sense “free” or “free person.” The spelling also overlaps with the English and Irish surname Carley, sometimes taken from place-names ending in -ley “clearing/meadow.” Variants include Carly, Carlee, Carlie, Carleigh, Carlye, Karley, Karlee, and Karlie; related longer forms include Carla, Caroline, and Carolina.

Use rose in the late 20th century, especially in North America and the UK, boosted by singer Carly Simon. Carley remains a less common spelling than Carly but is recognizable across the English-speaking world. Modern use is chiefly feminine, though its connection to Charles gives it a traditionally masculine origin.